FISHERMAN Mark Ramotar was fined $10,000 after he confessed to being in possession of marijuana, which he said he uses for his chest cold.

The 25-year old defendant of Betsy Ground, East Canje, appeared at the New Amsterdam Court before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs Marcus and pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of narcotics.

Police Sergeant Godfrey Playter, prosecuting, said that on March 2 at about 17:20hrs police on mobile patrol were in Adelphi Village when they saw the defendant on a bicycle acting in a suspicious manner.

He was stopped and a search carried out on his person revealed leaves, seeds and stems which were purportedly from the cannabis sativa plant. The illegal substance was weighed and it amounted to one gram.
When the defendant was asked by the court why he had the drug, his reply was, “I does use it for my ongoing chest cold. I usually do fishing at night.”
Meanwhile, in addition to the fine, the defendant has to undergo two weeks of community service at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court.

(By Jeune Vankeric)